310 Scientific Intelligence. [Oct. 



which the world has yet seen ; while in the variety, extent, and 

 importance of its applications, it certainly far transcends every 

 similar invention. So great was the activity and power of his 

 mind, that he not only embraced the whole compass of science, 

 but was deeply learned in many departments of literature : and 

 such was the felicity of his memory, that it retained, without 

 effort, all that was confided to it. He was still more distinguished, 

 not only by that highest prerogative of genius, promptness and 

 fertility of invention, but also by its rare and happy union with a 

 calm and sagacious judgment, regulated and matured by those 

 habits of. patient attention and investigation, without which no 

 great production of human art was ever carried to perfection. 

 His manners were marked by the simplicity which generally 

 characterizes exalted merit ; he was perfectly free from parade 

 and affectation ; and though he could not be unconscious either 

 of the eminent rank he held among men of science, or of those 

 powers of mind by which he had attained it, yet his character 

 was not debased by the slightest taint of vanity or pride. He 

 had for many years retired from business, but his mind continued 

 actively employed on scientific improvements. He perfected an 

 apparatus for the medical application of factitious airs ; and the 

 amusement of his latter days was the contrivance of a machine 

 for imitating and multiplying statuary, which he brought to a 

 considerable state of perfection. Happy in his domestic con- 

 nexions, in the complete enjoyment of his extraordinary intellect, 

 respected and beloved by the wise and good of every country; 

 and having attained the great age of 84 years, his useful and 

 honourable life was terminated, after an illness of short dura- 

 tion, rather of debility than of pain, by an easy and tranquil 

 death. 



"Mr. Watt was elected a Fellow of the Ptoyal Society of Edin- 

 burgh in 1784 ; of the Royal Society of London in 1785 ; and a 

 Member of the Batavian Society in 1787. In 1 806, the honorary 

 degree of Doctor of Laws was conferred upon him by the spon- 

 taneous and unanimous vote of the Senate of the University of 

 Glasgow ; and in 1808 he was elected a Member of the National 

 Institute of France." 



II. Professor Playfair. 



In the number of the Annals of Philosophy for August last, 

 there was inserted a short notice of the death of this eminent 

 scientific character, containing the very erroneous statement 

 that he was the son of Dr. James Playfair, author of a System 

 of Chronology, and ascribing to him the system of geography, 

 known by the name of Playfair's Geography. That notice was 

 inserted without the knowledge of the editor, who had the 

 honour of being personally acquainted both with Professor 

 Playfair, of Edinburgh, and with Principal James Playfair, of 

 St. Andrew's, and would not have fallen into the mistakes 



